


The Three Monsters

by kiyala



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Children, Family, Genderqueer Character, Nonverbal Character, Other, is my Hela bias showing?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-30
Updated: 2012-08-30
Packaged: 2017-11-13 04:48:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/499649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki has been staying in Latveria with Doctor Doom for a while now. When Doom suggests that Loki brings his children to stay with them, he doesn't quite realise what he's getting himself into.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Three Monsters

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the Avengers Reverse Big Bang, written for the _amazing_ art drawn by lightward, which you can see [here](http://avyakta.tumblr.com/post/30500770972/avengers-rbb-art-master-post) :D Please shower it with the love it deserves. ♥
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you to laria_gwyn for beta reading this for me!
> 
>  Also, the lovely lightward has translated the fic into Chinese! You can find it [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/499700) :)
> 
> And as one final note: Loki is genderqueer in this. The pronouns used reflect the physical state Loki is in at the time. It _shouldn't_ be too confusing, but I apologise if it throws you off all the same.

The mask is cool and smooth beneath Loki’s fingers. She traces the curve of a metallic cheek, looking into the brown eyes that watch her carefully. She smiles, her thumb brushing against the gap in Doom’s faceplate, over his lips.

They’ve been together for a while now; ever since they realised that they made a good pair. At first, it had been nothing more than two incredibly sharp minds scheming together, but it’s different now. There are few people Loki enjoys the company of quite the way she does with Doom. She’s been staying with him in Latveria and it may not be Asgard and it may not be _hers_ , but she likes it all the same.

What she likes best, however, is the fact that she still cannot quite guess Doom’s thoughts. No matter how much time they spend together, Victor von Doom’s mind remains as complex and mysterious as ever. It’s probably why Loki finds him so _interesting_. She can tell from the look in his eyes that he has something planned, but Doom doesn’t give anything away until he wants to.

“Walk with me,” Doom murmurs, his hands resting on Loki’s sides. It had felt odd at first, their mutual respect for one another turning into easy affection and intimacy. It is not something that Loki has had very much of and from what she knows of Doom, she doubts that he’s overly familiar with it either.

Perhaps that’s what makes it so pleasant. Doom guides Loki outside with a hand on her waist, staying close to her as they walk. There are several gardens on the castle grounds, and Loki’s favourite is one on top of a balcony, overlooking the town just nearby. She likes standing at the railing and looking down on the citizens of Latveria. She doesn’t go out very often—the humans here simply don’t interest her enough—but they’ve seen her by Doom’s side often enough to look at her with fear in her eyes. She likes that. She likes the way they look up at her and quickly look away, hurrying along with whatever they’re doing. She is aware that she makes an intimidating figure with her golden horns glinting in the sunlight, just as she is aware of Doom standing beside her now, watching her.

She basks in their fear, and in his attention, before turning to her lover with a smile. “You wouldn’t have brought me out here without a reason, Victor. Are you going to keep me waiting?”

“Aren’t you sharp?” Doom asks, sounding amused.

“I know you,” Loki replies, placing her hands on his shoulders. “I’m curious, now. It had better be good.”

“Doom never disappoints.” Turning to the side, Doom goes to a box sitting beside a stone bench. “Come, take a look at this.”

“You’ve gotten me a present,” Loki says, and she means it teasingly, but her eyes widen as she walks closer and actually sees what’s inside. “Victor, what is this?”

Lifting the golden staff out of its box, she holds it in both hands for a closer look. It’s almost as tall as she is, with a slight curve to it and a wicked point at its end. It’s a solid weight in her hands, heavy enough to feel dangerous but light enough to carry.

“It is yours,” Doom tells her when she turns to him. “A gift. For years, doom has searched for someone worthy to be by his side. None have held my affection like you, Loki. I give you this staff, and ask you to be mine. From now, until the day we are parted.”

Loki blinks in surprise. “You _ask_ …? You are proposing to me, Victor?”

“Do you accept?” Doom wouldn’t have asked unless he was certain. Now, he sounds unsure and Loki knows that she will have to respond quickly to keep from doing any damage to his ego.

“Oh, my love,” she murmurs, setting the staff aside and taking his masked face into her hands. “I cannot bind myself to Latveria when my sights will be forever set on Asgard. It would not be fair to either of us. But I will remain here for as long as you will have me. I can think of none other who would make my days half as enjoyable as you do.”

She sees the flicker of hurt in Doom’s eyes and holds his chin until he looks at her. With a soft voice, she tells him, “This is not a rejection, Victor. Latveria is the closest thing I have to a home, and that is because of _you_. Were Asgard not an issue… if that was not something constantly weighing on my mind, I would have accepted in a heartbeat. You must know that.”

Doom doesn’t reply for a long moment, but Loki doesn’t let go until he finally nods. She smiles, and Doom wraps his arms around her, drawing her closer.

There’s a quiet murmuring rising among the townsfolk who can see them and Loki smiles. He drapes his arms around Doom, who looks completely unbothered by Loki’s switch between genders.

“People will talk,” Loki teases as Doom turns them around, so that his face is out of sight of the crowd.

Lifting his faceplate out of the way, Doom smiles. “They are Doom’s people. They will not dare to speak against him.”

Doom kisses him deeply and Loki holds him close, keeping him turned away from their impromptu audience. Doom is _his_ human and Loki guards him jealously, just as he does with all of his things.

“The staff remains yours,” Doom tells him when they pull apart. Loki smiles, thanking him with another peck on the lips before closing the faceplate of Doom’s mask and fastening it back into place. “Regardless of our relationship, Doom values your company, and your counsel. You are welcome to stay in Latveria for as long as you please.”

“You are far kinder than you are given credit for,” Loki murmurs, staying right where he is in Doom’s arms. With a sly grin, he adds, “What I like best, though, is that nobody would _ever_ believe me.”

“Definitely not you, of all people.” Chuckling, Doom touches Loki’s cheek with a cool gauntlet. “We make a fine pair.”

“Yes,” Loki agrees. “We certainly do.”

 

«·»

 

By the time they get out of bed the next morning, it’s nearly midday. Doom is in a good mood, however, and Loki decides to take this as a good sign. He knows that Doom rarely reacts well to being told _no_ , but Loki has spent a lot of time making sure to convey the point that he isn’t planning on going anywhere soon. Doom seems to understand this.

They have a relaxed morning; Doom makes his cooks serve them a large brunch and they both eat until they are sated. When Doom suggests going for a walk through the castle, Loki is more than happy to comply.

Other than the staff of the castle—more robots than humans—it is an empty place. Nothing like the palace in Asgard.

When Loki mentions this, Doom shakes his head. “Not even Doom has the reputation that Odin does. Or the family. Even without you, Odin has two of his sons in Asgard, along with the rest of the Æsir…”

“…And all I have are three children, scattered and hidden throughout the realms, and one more to serve as Odin’s own steed.”

Doom turns to him, surprise in his eyes. “I knew of Sleipnir, of course, but not of the others.”

“Of course,” Loki repeats wryly. He doesn’t quite look at Doom when he says, “I had a wife once. A frost giantess—I thought I would try and see if I could muster any affection for my own kind, monsters as they were.”

“And you did.”

“Angrboda.” Loki nods. “She was fierce and strong-willed. I did love her, and I had three children by her. All of them declared by Odin to be abominations. He demanded that they be put to death immediately when they were born, but I refused. My firstborn was cast out, to the very mouth of the underworld and I learned from my mistakes after that. When the others were born, I hid them immediately. Angrboda would take care of them, and so would I, but we would have to be careful about it if we wanted to make sure that Odin never found the children.”

“Did he?” Doom asks. “Did he ever find the other two?”

Loki shakes his head. “Odin grew impatient and would question me. When that did not work… he sent his men after Angrboda. He threatened to kill her if she did not give him the answers he wanted. When that didn’t work either, he threatened Hela, our firstborn.”

Doom growls, balling his hands into fists. “That is disgusting.”

Loki gives him a mirthless smile, taking one gauntleted hand into both of his own, thumbs stroking idly over the metal as he continues. “Angrboda did not take to it kindly either. She killed many of the warriors sent after her, for Odin himself knew better than to deliver such a message in person. She fought to her death. I know not which of the Æsir dealt the killing blow. I suspect Tyr, or perhaps the noble Thor himself.”

“You do not wish to know for certain?” Doom asks with disbelief.

“If I knew, then I would be compelled to take revenge upon them. I know that there is a great chance that I would be killed, and I have no desire to die. Especially not when my children have only me, now. They do not even see each other that often, scattered as they are.”

Doom hums in thought as they continue to walk. Loki gives him silence to think, until he finally asks, “Why have you not hid them all together, somewhere?”

“I have nowhere safe enough to keep them all,” Loki replies with a quiet sigh. “I have been looking, but…”

“Why not Latveria?” Doom suggests. “It is not Asgard, but Asgard hasn’t been home to you for a long time either. Doom would welcome your children. They deserve to live happily. To be _safe_. And it will make you happy as well. That matters to Doom.”

Loki smiles, placing a hand on Doom’s cheek. “You are such a kind man. When you wish to be, anyway. If you are willing, I shall take you with me and introduce you to my children. It would be nice, to have a home with all of them together.”

“Doom looks forward to meeting them.”

“Come along, then.” Loki takes Doom by the hand and leads him through the hallways, to a small room close to their chambers. Loki likes to have a specific room set aside to cast any larger spells, and travelling between realms most certainly counts as such a spell.

“Where to, first?” Doom asks as Loki begins gathering his magic.

“To Asgard,” Loki answers with a grin. “The very edge. I have hidden Fenris there, right under their noses. I knew that they would not find him.”

“Asgard,” Doom repeats approvingly. “Clever. And, Doom will guess, the most dangerous of all the hiding places?”

Loki nods. “I have hidden Fenris well and there should not be a problem. If we are caught, however, or if we give away Fenris’ hiding place before we get to him…”

“Of course,” Doom nods in understanding.

Loki’s magic allows him to travel between realms without using the Bifrost. He knows how to pass through all the crossing paths, having learned his way through centuries of practice. One moment they’re in Latveria and the next, they are turning around the corner of a cave so far away from the rest of Asgard that it sits forgotten.

A small fire burns in the depths of the cave, making it warm and comfortable. It produces no smoke to give away their location; Loki had cast it back when he had hidden Fenris for the very first time.

“Fenris,” Loki calls softly, approaching the large ball of grey fur beside the fire. “I have a visitor with me.”

Fenris lifts his head, ears perking up. Getting to his feet, he nuzzles against Loki with his tail wagging before turning to Doom. “Who is this, Father?”

If Doom is surprised by the fact that Loki’s son is a giant, talking wolf, he hides it well. “I am Victor von Doom, of Latveria.”

“From Midgard?” Fenris asks, looking at Loki. His tail wags a little faster. “Will you both stay for a while? I have not had company in such a long time.”

“I apologise for that,” Loki murmurs, stroking his fingers through the thick, grey fur. “But I have better news. How would you like to live elsewhere? With your brother and your sister?”

“And you?” Fenris asks, bumping his muzzle against Loki’s hand. “Are we moving to Midgard? I would like that very much.”

“We will live in Victor’s castle,” Loki tells his son with a smile. “I am sure that you will enjoy it there.”

Fenris’ tail begins wagging even harder. He’s extremely social and enjoys spending time with others. Loki knows that Fenris will be much happier with all of them together; they all will.

“Where shall we go next?” Doom asks, once the magical fire has been extinguished and Fenris’ few belongings have been gathered.

“To Niffleheim,” Loki announces.

“We are going to see Hela?” Fenris asks excitedly. “I have not seen her in years! I wonder if I have grown taller than her yet.”

Hela, when they reach her, is as small and shy as Loki remembers. She is just taller than Fenris when she stands, but she keeps herself turned to the side, to keep her decaying skin out of sight. It saddens Loki to see the lasting effects that the cruelty of Asgard has had on his daughter. He remembers the way they would ridicule her for being born half-dead; he doubts that Hela will ever forget.

“Who is that man, Father?” Hela asks, and then corrects herself, “Mother?”

Hela had always been close to both of her parents, but she had taken Angrboda’s death the hardest. Loki can’t help but want to fill the empty space in Hela’s heart.

“This is Victor, my dear, and he has been kind enough to offer us a place to live together. I will no longer have to keep you all apart. How does that sound to you?”

Hela clings to Loki, hiding against her. “Mother, he is looking at me. Why does he wear such strange armour?”

Wordlessly, Doom steps forward and kneels before Hela so that they are eye to eye. Hela’s grip on Loki’s dress tightens in alarm, but then Doom takes his mask off.

“Oh.” Hela does not sound scared at all. “You are like me?”

Doom smiles. “Unlike you, Doom was not born this way… but this is the way he has been for a long time, now. He understands how you must feel.”

Hela smiles, reaching out to take Doom’s mask in her hands for a closer look. Handing it back, she says, “Mother, I like this an.”

With a large smile of his own, Doom puts his mask back on. “Doom likes you as well, little Hela.”

Their last stop is back on Midgard; not back in Latveria just yet, but by the sea. Loki stands on the beach, the water lapping at her feet, and calls out, “Come out, Jormungandr.”

There is no response, but Loki is not concerned. She waits right where she is, until she can see the water rushing aside in waves, making way as a giant snake’s head emerges from the sea.

“Victor,” Loki murmurs with a smile. “This is Jormungandr. My youngest.”

“He is the _youngest_?” Doom asks with disbelief.

“I realise that my children are larger than most. If it is an issue…”

“Not at all,” Doom replies quickly. “There’s plenty of space after all. Doom is simply impressed that you could hide such a large creature at all.”

Loki reaches out, running her hands along Jormungandr’s scales. “He was so tiny when he was born, I could hold him in the palm of one hand. When I first hid him on Midgard, I thought that one small body of water would be enough to hide him. In Scotland I believe.”

“Loch Ness.” Doom chuckles. “Oh, you were behind that all along? I shouldn’t even be surprised.”

“Well, they began to notice him when he didn’t stop growing. That’s when I moved him to the sea. I am not promising that he has stopped growing, either. He’s still a child.”

Jormungandr slithers mostly out of the water, tongue flicking in and out of his mouth as he goes to his siblings. His head is already twice the size of Fenris’ and he coils loosely around the two of them, not seeming to mind when they clamber all over him.

“It has been so long,” Fenris declares happily, nuzzling into Jormungandr’s side. “You were so small when I last saw you. Now, I can ride on your back!”

“I think you are still a little large for him,” Hela observes, hugging Jormungandr around the middle. “Hello, little brother. The last time I hugged you, my arms could still fit all the way around you.”

“Worry not, little ones,” Loki tells them. “If Jormungandr did not want Fenris standing on his back, he would make it very clear.”

“Does he not speak?” Doom asks doubtfully.

“No.” Loki shakes her head. “I believe that he is capable of it, but he is a little… slower than his siblings. He prefers not to speak, and it is not an issue. He’s had little company to converse with and if he wants you to know something, he will make certain that you understand.”

Doom nods. “I see.”

“Shall we go back to Latveria, then?” Loki asks, walking to where her children are playing. She waits for Doom to catch up before gathering her magic once again. This time, they’re standing just outside of the castle grounds.

Hela looks around in amazement. “Is this where we are living now?”

“Yes,” Doom chuckles. “This is my kingdom, Latveria.”

“Welcome to your new home, children,” Loki tells them with a warm smile. “I hope you will like it here.”

 

«·»

 

Over the next few days, Loki keeps an eye on her children, and the way Doom interacts with each of them. As much as she cares for him, she is concerned for her children more than anything. None of them have lived particularly happy lives until now and she is determined to make sure that changes.

Hela seems extremely happy in her new home. Doom has taken to her very quickly and though she is still shy and quiet, Loki has definitely noticed her smiling a lot more.

Fenris is also obviously happy that he no longer needs to hide. He is strong and fast, and he likes Latveria for its wide open grounds. Doom seems to like Fenris too, and Loki doesn’t doubt that part of that has to do with the fact that there is a large, sentient wolf on the loose around Latveria, terrifying Doom’s citizens into doing whatever they are meant to.

Jormungandr on the other hand…

Now that he is out of the water, he has become extremely self-conscious about his size. Even as he moves through the castle, he needs to be careful not to take up entire passageways, or knock things over by accident.

On top of this, Loki has noticed that Doom will not spend as much time with Jormungandr as he does with the other two. Most of the time, he will not speak to Jormungandr at all and at first, it had not really mattered. Hela and Fenris include him in everything they do together and the three of them do look extremely happy together, but Loki has begun to notice Jormungandr’s unhappiness. It’s there in his eyes whenever he looks at Doom. It may not have been formally announced, but Doom is taking up the role of a father figure, and Loki knows what it’s like to crave a father’s approval.

Tempting as it is to step in, to talk to Doom about it, Loki knows that it will not end well. Jormungandr will need to earn Doom’s acceptance on his own, for it to mean anything. Besides, Loki isn’t quite sure what she would say to Doom anyway. She doesn’t want to make any accusations of Doom neglecting her son because regardless of how true it may be, it will only result in an argument and that is the last thing Loki wants right now. Instead, she remains silent about it for the time being, focusing on just how good it is to have her children together like this.

Fenris, eager to explore all of Latveria, frequently asks for family outings. As he runs around in the open, Hela walks with Dooms, curious to hear of all of his exploits. Doom, of course, is only too happy to boast and Loki half-listens with a small smile as she walks beside Jormungandr at the very back. He keeps craning his neck to see what his brother is doing and Loki places a hand on his scaly side.

“If you wish to play with Fenris, then you need only to join him. You know that he will welcome you and if you are shy because of Victor, then remember that he welcomed you _all_ here. You are not imposing and above all else, you are my son and I brought you here because I want you to be happy. So go, do what makes you happy.”

Jormungandr looks down at Loki, brushing against her side affectionately as he goes forward. He steps passes Doom and Hela, heading for Fenris.

“Jormungandr!” Fenris calls excitedly with a bark. “Come and chase me! I am certain that you cannot catch me!”

Of course, Jormungandr goes even faster, doing his best to pace Fenris.

“Go, Jormungandr!” Hela cheers, waving her arms in the air, and even Doom stops to watch.

This gives him an extra burst of speed and Jormungandr opens his mouth, ready to catch Fenris’ tail. Then, everything seems to happen at once.

Fenris makes a sharp turn that Jormungandr cannot quite imitate. E tries, and his speed and size work against him, sending him listing to one side. Alarmed, he lashes his tail, struggling for balance until he finally comes to a halt at the very edge of the park.

The damage is catastrophic. There are deep grooves in the perfectly tended grass, with mud thrown everywhere. There are benches, statues and walking paths, all destroyed and lying in ruins.

Jormungandr shrinks in on himself as much as he can and Fenris’ ears are pinned back with worry.

Even Loki’s heart is beating at double time. This scale of destruction is unwelcome no matter what, but she knows what this place is, and what it means.

It’s the Cynthia von Doom Memorial Park.

“How dare you.” Doom’s voice is dripping with cold fury. “How _dare_ you, after I welcome you here, into _my_ home, accepting you as part of my family… to cause such damage in such a sacred place? You are a bumbling _fool_ —you certainly took after your uncle in that regard, didn’t you? But no, you are even worse than that. You do not have a single thought to spare for your surroundings, do you?”

“Victor, that’s enough,” Loki interrupts sharply. “I will repair the damage done here. First, we should leave this place before we make matters even worse. Children, we are going back to the castle. Yes, Jormungandr, that means you as well. Come along. There’s no need to be upset; it was an accident, nothing more.”

“You cannot excuse his behaviour,” Doom protests.

“It was an accident,” Loki repeats, her eyes flashing with anger. “You have made it clear that you are displeased and Jormungandr is very obviously sorry. There is no need to point out his errors any further to remind him of them. Believe me, I should know.”

Doom is not happy with this, but he relents.

Loki makes sure that all three of her children are settled back in the castle before returning to the park. He knows that it should not require too much magic to fix, but he changes back into his male form, just to conserve what little he can. He’s been using a lot of magic lately, and doesn’t want to drain himself, just in case anything comes up.

Soon, the park is back to normal, the mud cleaned away and the grass neat once again. Loki repairs the paths, the benches, the statues and looks around, nodding to himself with satisfaction.

When he returns to the castle, Doom looks up from where he’s sitting in front of the fire with Hela and Fenris. “Jormungandr slunk off somewhere as soon as you left. I cannot find him anywhere. I hope I have not scared him away.”

Loki smiles, shaking his head. “He is the Midgard Serpent, Victor. He doesn’t scare that easily. I’ll go and find him.”

Leaving the castle again, Loki walks down to the moat this time. He crouches at the edge of the water, and waits until Jormungandr lifts his head out of the water.

“I knew you would be here,” Loki scolds gently. “You are my son, and nobody knows you better than I do. Of course you would hide in the water. It’s what you have done all your life; it must be comforting for you, by now.”

Resting his head on the ground beside Loki, Jormungandr looks up at him with sad eyes.

Sighing, Loki pets his head. “Believe me, I understand the need to impress your father figure. I felt it myself with Odin all the time. I would crave to see the pride in his eyes, and I would hate it when I saw that pride directed at everyone by me. And don’t try to tell me this was not about Victor watching you. I have noticed that he spends less time with you, and it is only natural that you should want to change that. If you wish, I will speak to him about it.”

Jormungandr is not happy with that thought at all, and it’s clear in his eyes.

Loki smiles. “I understand that feeling, too. If you want to prove yourself to him, then do whatever you feel is right. Just remember that nobody can decide your worth except for you. As long as you are happy, you do not need to prove yourself to anybody else.”

Jormungandr slides out of the water, wrapping himself loosely around Loki.

Stroking the large scales beneath his hands, Loki murmurs, “I love you too.”

 

«·»

 

Once Jormungandr cheers up and joins the others inside the castle, things begin to look positive. Doom, understanding the reason behind Jormungandr’s behaviour, is not as harsh with him, although they still lack the close relationship that Doom has built with Hela and Fenris. Although Jormungandr is still not quite satisfied, he is not unhappy either.

As the weeks pass, they begin to form their own, mismatched family. They’ve all settled down in their new home, and even the citizens of Latveria have grown used to their presence. While Fenris still frightens people when he goes to explore the towns, there are no longer people running and screaming in terror.

Hela remains as shy as ever when they’re outside but at home, where she no longer feels self-conscious about her appearance, she blossoms. She’s clever and witty, and so clearly Doom’s favourite.

“Apparently the Avengers are fighting A.I.M.,” Doom says, one morning when they are all sitting down for breakfast.

“Hm, the Avengers.” Loki taps his fingers on the table top. “We haven’t caused any trouble for them in a while.”

“Do you really want to cause mischief with them now?” Doom asks as the servants begin carrying out their food. “Our hands are full as it is.”

As if to prove his point, Fenris and Jormungandr choose that exact moment to start bickering.

“No, I want to try some of your food!” Fenris protests, trying to eat out of Jormungandr’s bowl. He dodges out of the way as Jormungandr snaps at him and growls in return.

“Enough of that,” Loki tells them, before it can escalate. “Fenris, you’ll have to ask nicely before Jormungandr will share with you. And I’m sure you’ll be happy to share once your brother is being polite, won’t you, Jormungandr?”

Fenris huffs unhappily and Loki gets up, crouching in front of his son to speak to him. Behind him, he can hear Doom keeping Hela occupied so that she doesn’t feel left out, and it warms his heart.

“You are family,” Loki tells both Fenris and Jormungandr. “You’ve already been treated terribly for the fact that you are my children and there is no guarantee that it will not happen again. Treat everyone else however you want, but be kind to each other. Hela too. Support each other, because the three of you together will be much stronger than just one.”

Fenris nods in understanding, ducking his head and turning to Jormungandr. “Could I please try some of your food, brother? I will give you some of mine in exchange.”

Jormungandr pushes his bowl towards Fenris in reply, and Loki smiles approvingly. When he turns back around to the table, Doom has wrapped his cloak around Hela’s shoulders. She’s eating her breakfast happily, swinging her legs under the table.

Doom sees Loki watching them and beckons him over, taking hold of his hand once he’s close enough

“What’s this, then?” Loki asks, resting his free hand on Hela’s head.

“Do you like the way it looks on me?” Hela asks, preening. “I think that the colour suits me.”

“It does,” Loki replies, nodding. He smiles at her, and then at Doom. “That was very kind of you, Victor.”

Doom brushes his thumb over the back of Loki’s hand and then turns to Fenris and Jormungandr. “Come on, hurry up and finish you food so that we can go for today’s walk. There’s a nice, quiet area just by the mountains that you’ll like.”

“Oh, that does sound wonderful,” Fenris says, tail wagging. “Eat faster, brother! I will race you!”

Loki exchanges an amused look with Doom. At least this race is less disastrous; neither of them even make a mess and although Jormungandr wins, Fenris remains in a good mood. When they go for their walk, Fenris leads the way, occasionally waiting for Doom to give him directions. Hela rides on Jormungandr’s back, the dark green cloak flowing behind her, while Loki and Doom walk at the back of the group.

Once they’re at the base of the mountains, Hela gets down from Jormungandr’s back and the three siblings begin exploring.

“She looks so happy with that cloak on,” Loki muses, watching her clambering over the large boulders.

“She does,” Doom agrees, nodding. “Doom knows what it’s like to feel self-conscious like that. The mask helps. Perhaps for Hela, a cloak might work the same way.”

“Hm, indeed.” Loki’s mind is already at work, coming up with a plan. “It _is_ Hela’s birthday soon. I could gift her with a cloak then.”

Doom chuckles. “I doubt that you are thinking of any plain cloak for your daughter.”

With a sly smile, Loki says. “The dwarves of Niðavellir _do_ owe me a favour. They’re probably expecting _much_ worse from me.”

“You could ask for anything, and yet you use that favour for Hela?”

“She is my daughter,” Loki replies simply. “Besides, if I demand too much from them, they will find a way to trick me out of it. I’ve learned that it doesn’t pay to try and outsmart the dwarves.”

“I assume you’ll be visiting them soon, then? I’ll stay home with the children.”

Loki is about to thank Doom when the ground beneath them rumbles. His eyes widen in alarm and he immediately turns to his children. He’s felt minor tremors from the castle before, but it’s completely different when he’s out here near the mountains themselves.

“It’s a landslide,” Doom mutters and they’re both immediately preparing to teleport everyone away when a large boulder sitting at the top of a mountain shakes itself loose. It falls straight down at an amazing speed, directly as Hela as she watches in horror, rooted to the spot.

“HELA!”

Before either Loki or Doom can act, Jormungandr is there, curling himself around his sister protectively. The boulder falls on him, breaking against his thick skin and falling to the ground. Before the rubble can do any harm, Jormungandr wraps himself around Fenris, Loki and Doom too, staying still until the earth stops shaking.

“You saved me!” Hela exclaims, hugging Jormungandr as he uncoils himself. “Thank you, brother.”

“That was very brave of you,” Fenris says approvingly. “I could not have done that, and definitely not quite so quickly.”

Jormungandr ducks his head shyly and Loki places a hand on his snout. “Thank you, Jormungandr. You should be proud of yourself.”

Nuzzling into Loki’s hand happily, Jormungandr pauses when he sees Doom watching him.

“You acted nobly, without a thought for your own safety,” Doom says with wonder. “I have not seen such honour in anybody for a long time. I am proud of you, Jormungandr.”

Loki can see the way Jormungandr’s eyes light up with Doom pats his snout as well. He smiles, and sees both Hela and Fenris doing the same. In this moment, with all five of them together, Loki feels his heart swell with love and satisfaction.

 _This is my family_ , he thinks to himself and pats Jormungandr once more. “Come, let’s return home.”

 

«·»

 

By the time Hela’s birthday comes around, Loki has been to Niðavellir and back. She’s spent days bargaining and bickering with the dwarves, who are reluctant to give her anything she wants. They know that they would benefit from staying in Odin’s favour, and as honour-bound as they claim to be, they do not listen to Loki until she produces enough gold. She does so without hesitation, but that doesn’t mean that the dwarves need to know that. She scowls and snarls at them until she is certain their work will be done in time. She doesn’t tell them why she wants the cloak made, knowing that her reasons will reach Odin. If he knows where she is keeping her children, there is the risk of him coming for Hela. Loki will do all that she can to prevent this from happening.

Hela’s favourite place is a park overlooking Doom Lake, just a short distance from the castle, and so they have a picnic there with all of her favourite food. It’s the first birthday that Loki can remember properly celebrating with her—with any of the children, really—and she’s determined to make sure that it’s a memorable one.

Doom has made sure that the cooks have prepared all of Hela’s favourite food. They’ve spread out a large blanket to sit on, while Jormungandr curls around himself, sitting so that he and Fenris are on either side of Hela.

The food is delicious and Loki waits until it has all been eaten before bringing out her present. It’s not wrapped, and the moment Hela sees it, her eyes light up. She takes it excitedly, holding it up and marveling at the colour; a deep green that is almost black.

“Oh, this is so lovely, thank you Mother!”

“You haven’t seen the least of it yet, my darling,” Loki tells her. “Try it on.”

Hela clasps it around her shoulders and the moment that it sits in place, the magic woven into it begins to work. First, the magic spreads along the dead half of Hela’s body, hiding the decayed flesh from sight, leaving healthy skin in its place.

“Oh!” Hela exclaims, looking at Loki with wide eyes, filled with happiness. Then she pauses, as the magic continues its work. “I feel… stronger, somehow. Is that also the cloak’s doing?”

Loki takes Hela’s hand—the one that had once been hidden out of sight whenever Hela felt self-conscious—and squeezes it gently. “It’s not just the cloak. You have the potential to become a great sorceress. The cloak just amplifies that, and makes your power easier to access. Your skin will look this way when you are wearing your cloak. When you take it off, you will return back to the way you normally are. I believe that it’s important that you shouldn’t need to hide, or feel shy, just because of the way you were born—and I’m saying this to all three of you. You’ve hidden for long enough. Be proud of who you are. Of _what_ you are. If anybody dares call you a monster, then show them exactly _why_ they should think you such, and make them run in fear.

“Yes!” Fenris cries, tail wagging back and forth. Jormungandr hisses in agreement, and Hela throws her arms around Loki’s shoulders in a tight hug.

It’s a wonderful moment. Of course, it’s also when the Avengers decide to show up.

“Brother!” Thor calls, leading the way with Iron Man at his feels, the Quinjet flying behind them. Landing in the grass, he amends, “…Sister.”

“I don’t think you have permission to enter Latveria,” Loki says, raising an eyebrow at Doom before getting to her feet. “Do you really want to cause an international incident?”

Thor frowns, holding Mjölnir tightly. “You have been in Latveria with Doctor Doom for almost a _year_ now and yet there has been no news from either of you. We are here to stop whatever scheme you have been working on.”

Loki rolls her eyes. “Really.”

“Uh… not to upset you or anything, big guy, but it doesn’t actually look like they’re scheming right now,” Iron Man speaks up, hovering just above them.

“Did you invite guests?” Hela inquires, looking at the Avengers curiously.

Thor looks beyond Loki and frowns. “What are these creatures?”

With a sharp laugh, Loki stands between Thor and her children. “Surely you remember my children, brother dearest. I know that it’s been a long time, but I’m _insulted_ that you would forget how they look, when you hunted them down so determinedly. When you threatened Hela.”

“Those were Father’s orders…” Thor says warily, a flash of guilt in his eyes.

“Oh, so this man is our uncle,” Fenris concludes, getting up and walking to Loki’s side. Baring his teeth, he adds, “And these people are unwelcome here. Shall we, Jormungandr?”

In reply, Jormungandr uncoils himself, lifting into the sky until he is level with the Quinjet. With a flick of his head, he knocks it aside with enough force to send it spinning out of sight. Then, he turns on Iron Man, hissing threateningly.

Stark has a strong enough sense of self-preservation not to start a fight with the odds so severely against him.

“Time for a strategic retreat,” he declares, flying away in the same direction as the Quinjet. Only Thor is left behind.

Fenris advances on him, snarling, hackles raised as he prepares to attack. Thor raises Mjölnir, ready to fight back.

“If you harm my brother, I promise you that the consequences will be severe.” Hela’s voice is loud and commanding, nothing like her usual timid self. She steps forward, standing beside Loki, and points a finger at Thor. “I have heard tales of you, Thunderer. Even in Niffleheim, your name is whispered. There are stories that place the sword that killed my birth mother in your hands. Now you threaten your nephew?”

Thor lowers his hammer, looking between Loki’s three children, and then at her. She holds Thor’s gaze unblinkingly, until he looks away.

“I was not the one to slay Angrboda,” he mutters. “Though I know that you will not stop blaming me. I could have talked Father out of it. I could have let her go. I know you will think these things forever, Loki, and I cannot go back and change any of it. I am sorry.”

Loki’s expression doesn’t change. She simply tilts her head and says, “Leave.”

Thor does, with one last look at Loki in her family. He leaves in the same direction as the others and Loki doesn’t move until she can no longer see the speck of red in the sky.

Then, she turns to Hela and raises her eyebrows with a smile. “That was impressive.”

Hela flushes with pride, beaming back at her. “That wasn’t the cloak, was it?”

“That was _you_ ,” Loki replies, placing her hands on Hela’s shoulders. “Entirely you.”

“You did a wonderful job as well, Jormungandr,” Doom speaks up with an approving nod. “You too, Fenris.”

“I doubt our visitors will be back any time soon,” Loki says. “Why don’t you go and play?”

Doom wraps an arm around Loki’s waist as they watch the three of them running off.

With a chuckle, Doom says, “The Avengers grow nervous because of us? Doom likes that thought.”

Loki laughs. “They’re utterly disarmed by their confusion. Now would be the _perfect_ time to come up with a plan.”

Hela, overhearing this, stops and looks over her shoulder at them. “It’s my _birthday_ today, no scheming! But if you will wait until tomorrow, I would like to help as well.”

Amused, Doom says, “She’s daughter, to the very core.”

“ _Our_ daughter, now,” Loki corrects. She glances at Doom, gauging his reaction. “Our three, wonderful, chaotic children.”

“Yes.” Loki can hear the smile in Doom’s voice. “Ours.”


End file.
